Meghan and Prince Harry were flown around Nigeria for free by an airline whose chairman is a fugitive wanted in the US. Dr. Allen On...
Meghan and Prince Harry were flown around Nigeria for free by an airline whose chairman is a fugitive wanted in the US.
Dr. Allen Onyema, founder of Nigerian airline Air Peace, provided the Sussex's with free flights during their three day tour of Nigeria to celebrate 10 years of Harry's Invictus Games.
However DailyMail.com exclusively revealed that he is also a wanted man in the US, facing multiple charges linked to millions of dollars worth of alleged fraud set down in a federal indictment filed in November 2019.
Stanley Olisa at Air Peace said the Sussexes were given the 'complimentary flights' by the CEO, along with 'everything they wanted' becasue 'they are royals'.
There is no suggestion that either Harry or Meghan were aware of Onyema's history before they met him.
Mr Olisa told the Mirror: 'The planes were chartered. It was just the royals and their entourage. They were not flying with other passengers. We understand that they are royals so we gave them top-tier treatment on board. They were given everything they wanted. It was an exclusive experience. And we flew them back to Abuja in the evening. Everything was complimentary.'
He added: 'The chairman of Air Peace gave Prince Harry and his wonderful wife Meghan free flights to Lagos and back as part of his contribution to the successful hosting of the couple.'
In total the couple and their entourage flew 664 miles on a 120 seat plane creating around 12 tonnes of carbon emissions.
The average annual carbon footprint for one person per year is about four tonnes.
This whooping figure has left some angry at the Sussex's for being hypocritical, as it 2019 the pair launched the Travalyst initiative, which urged the tourism industry to be more sustainable.
During the visit the couple visited a local charity and met with military leaders, injured soldiers and school children, all of whom welcomed them smiles and enthusiasm.
Robert Murphy, the agent in charge of the DEA Atlanta field division said: 'Allan Onyema's status as a wealthy businessman turned out to be a fraud. He corrupted the US banking system, but his trail of deceit and trickery came to a skidding halt.'
The indictment goes on to allege that Onyema set up various 'innocent sounding multi-million-dollar asset purchases which were nothing more than alleged fronts for his scam'.
It states that Onyema is the founder and chairman of several organizations across Nigeria, including the Foundation for Ethnic Harmony, International Center for Non-Violence and Peace Development and All-Time Peace Media Communications Limited.
Air Peace's Chief of Administration and Finance, Ejiroghene Eghagha, has also been charged along with Onyema.
Both men were charged on one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, three counts of bank fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit credit application fraud and three counts of credit application fraud. However it is understood that they deny the claims.
This comes after it was alleged that King Charles was 'absolutely furious' that the trip had taken place anyway.
Author Tom Quinn said: 'Everything you might expect from an official royal visit was there – the receptions, the visits to schools and charities, to wounded soldiers and the disabled.
'Meghan and Harry's speeches and their whole attitude has been designed to give the impression that they are still fully paid-up royals and William and his father King Charles don't like it one bit.'
Mr Quinn said that Harry and Meghan appear to have 'gone rogue'.
Royal expert Michael Cole told MailOnline that although the couple were on 'a private visit by two royal personages', they 'exploited their royal status to the very limit and in every way, trying to give the impression that it was the real thing'.
He said that although the Sussexes' trip 'wasn't a state visit, an official visit or a royal tour', it seemed like a 'tour proposed by Buckingham Palace and sanctioned by the British government'.
He added that the couple 'succeeded to such an extent that they will return to California well satisfied with their three days in Nigeria'.
Despite this disapproval the Sussexes now have 'other trips planned for the remainder of the year' and hope to 'share more details in the coming weeks'.
The insider added: 'It is definitely possible they could return to Africa for more tours after that.'
The Sussex's and Air Peace have been approached for comment.
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